ÉzéchielChapitre 12

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The word of the LORD came to me:

Son of man, you are living among a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

So you, son of man, pack a bundle for exile and set out in broad daylight, before their eyes. Go into exile from where you are to another place while they watch. Perhaps they will see, though they are a rebellious house.

Bring out your belongings like an exile's pack in the daylight, before their eyes, and then go out in the evening, before their eyes, like those who go into exile.

While they watch, dig through the wall and carry your things out through it.

Before their eyes, lift the pack to your shoulder and carry it out in the dark. Cover your face so you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.

I did just as I was commanded. I brought out my belongings like an exile's pack in the daylight, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hands. In the dark I carried my things out on my shoulder, before their eyes.

In the morning the word of the LORD came to me:

Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, asked you, "What are you doing?"

Say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel who are there with him.

Say: I am a sign to you. As I have done, so it will be done to them; they will go into exile, into captivity.

The prince who is among them will lift his pack to his shoulder in the dark and go out. They will dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his own eyes.

I will spread my net over him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he will not see it, and there he will die.

All those around him, his helpers and all his troops, I will scatter to every wind, and I will draw the sword after them.

Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the lands.

But I will spare a few of them from the sword, the famine, and the plague, so that among the nations where they go they may recount all their detestable practices. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

The word of the LORD came to me:

Son of man, eat your bread with trembling and drink your water with shuddering and dread.

And say to the people of the land: This is what the Lord GOD says about those who live in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: They will eat their bread in dread and drink their water in despair, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who live there.

The inhabited cities will be laid waste and the land will become a desolation. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

The word of the LORD came to me:

Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: "The days drag on, and every vision comes to nothing"?

Therefore say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: I will put an end to this proverb, and they will never quote it again in Israel. Instead, say to them: The days are near, and so is the fulfillment of every vision.

For there will be no more false visions or flattering divination within the house of Israel.

For I am the LORD. I will speak, and what I speak will be done; it will no longer be delayed. In your own days, you rebellious house, I will speak the word and carry it out, declares the Lord GOD.

The word of the LORD came to me:

Son of man, the house of Israel is saying, "The vision he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about distant times."

Therefore say to them: This is what the Lord GOD says: None of my words will be delayed any longer. Whatever I speak will be done, declares the Lord GOD.

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Résumé2

Chapitre 12

Main Theme: God commands Ezekiel to perform symbolic actions that foretell Jerusalem’s fall and the people’s exile.

Content: Ezekiel is instructed to pack like a fugitive, dig through a wall, and go out with his face covered—a sign of how the prince in Jerusalem will be taken away to Babylon without seeing the land. He must also eat and drink with trembling as a sign of the people’s fear. God refutes the proverb "The days drag on, and every vision comes to nothing," assuring that His word will be fulfilled soon, not in some distant future.

Key Words/Images:

Rebellious House (בֵּית מְרִי): A description of Israel as having eyes but not seeing, ears but not hearing.
Exile Gear (כְּלֵי גוֹלָה): Symbolic packing that foreshadows the coming deportation.
Covered Face: A sign of the prince’s fate—he will not see the land to which he is taken (fulfilled in Zedekiah’s blinding).
The Proverb about Delayed Visions: The people’s rejection of the prophecies, which God firmly refutes.

Contexte historique

People

The chapter mentions the "prince" (הַנָּשִׂיא, hannasi) in Jerusalem in verses 10 and 12. This is a direct reference to King Zedekiah, Judah's last king who reigned from 597–586 B.C.E. The prophecy describes in detail how he will carry his belongings on his shoulder, break through the city wall in darkness, and cover his face so that he does not see the land. This corresponds remarkably with the account in 2 Kings 25:4–7, where Zedekiah fled through a gap in the wall at night, was captured in the plains of Jericho, brought to Nebuchadnezzar who blinded him, and then taken to Babylon in chains. The prophecy that he "shall not see" the land of Babylon even though he will die there (verse 13) points to this blinding.

Events and Customs

Ezekiel's symbolic action with "exile gear" (כְּלֵי גוֹלָה, klei golah) was immediately recognizable to the observers. This was the minimum a refugee could carry: a mat or blanket, a water jug, a food bag, and perhaps a garment—all packed in a bundle carried on the shoulder. In the ancient Near East, this was a well-known sight when populations were deported. Assyrian reliefs from the 700s B.C.E. show exactly such scenes of deportees carrying their few belongings. That Ezekiel was to break through the house wall (verse 5) symbolized a desperate flight that could not use normal exits—an image of total destruction and panic.

Key Terms

The expression "house of rebellion" (בֵּית הַמֶּרִי, beit hammeri) is used three times in this chapter (verses 2, 9, 25). The Hebrew word meri means not only disobedience but implies conscious and persistent defiance against a superior authority. This term emphasizes that Israel's disobedience was willful, not merely ignorance.

The wordplay in verse 10 between "prince" (הַנָּשִׂיא, hannasi) and "burden/oracle" (הַמַּשָּׂא, hammassa) is significant. Both words come from the root נשׂא meaning "to lift" or "to carry." The prince himself becomes the heavy burden to be carried away, and the prophetic word becomes a judgment against him.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The popular proverb "The days go by, and every vision comes to nothing" (verse 22) reflects widespread skepticism toward prophetic warnings that had circulated for years without apparent fulfillment. Babylonian sources from this period show that prophetic activity was common throughout the region, and people had developed a cynical attitude toward judgment prophecies that did not immediately come true. Ezekiel's response was that God's word would no longer be delayed—judgment was now imminent.

Personnages

Aucun personnage connu dans ce chapitre.

Mots-clés10

Ezekiel — A prophet in the Old Testament who received visions and messages from God.
Chapter 12 — The twelfth chapter of the book of Ezekiel containing prophecies and visions concerning the people of Israel and their leaders.
The Lord — Another name for God, used to show respect and reverence.
Vision — A spiritual experience in which a person sees or hears something hidden from others, often carrying a message from God.
Prophecy — A prediction or revelation about future events given by God through a prophet.
Exile — A condition in which people are forced to leave their homeland, often due to war, persecution, or punishment from God.
Jerusalem — The capital of Israel and a holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. In Ezekiel chapter 12, it is central to the prophecies about judgment and exile.
Leaders — People with authority and power over a nation, often referred to as kings, princes, or elders in the Bible.
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